We Tried It: DHC’s Deep Cleansing Oil

The pitch: “Try this amazing cleanser and you’ll see why it’s our most popular product worldwide. Dirt, excess oil, makeup — even waterproof mascara — and other pore-cloggers dissolve easily, leaving your face a grime-free zone that is soft to the touch. Its unique water-soluble formula rinses completely, so you’ll never see a greasy residue. Olive oil and vitamin E help ensure you won’t see dryness either.”

The skinny: If there’s any question about the popularity of using oils as a cleanser, just check out Pinterest. There are hundreds of pins devoted to oil-cleansing recipes. You’ll find recipes using coconut oil, lemon oil, olive oil, castor oil ... and the list goes on.

DHC’s Deep Cleansing Oil does all that work for you. It’s a facial cleanser with olive oil and vitamin E. Of course, there are a few other ingredients that you probably can’t find in your kitchen (or pronounce), including caprylic/capric triglyceride, sorbeth-30 tetraoleate, pentylene glycol, phenoxyethanol, tocopherol, stearyl glycyrrhetinate and rosmarinus officinalis (rosemary) leaf oil.

I was a little skeptical about trying the Deep Cleansing Oil. Cleaning your face with oil seemed completely counterintuitive to how you’re supposed to wash your face. Could an oil really remove makeup and dirt? I also worried it wouldn’t wash off completely. The last thing I wanted was an oily face, leading to breakouts.

I was wrong on both counts. The oil removed my makeup, including sunscreen. Even on hot, sweaty days after yard work or exercise, the oil cut though dirt and sweat. Surprisingly, there was no residue. The oil rinsed off thoroughly and easily (no washcloth needed).

My one complaint was that it didn’t remove waterproof mascara, but even my trusted Cetaphil cleanser doesn’t do that.

The most luxurious part? Massaging the oil on my face. It’s like a little spa treatment at the end of the day.